Music-sheet turner.



S. I. SHAW, JR. & P. G. YOST.

.MUSIG SHEET TURNER.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY18, 1907.

Patented May 25, 1909.

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S. J. SHAW, JR. & P. G. YUST. MUSIC SHEET TURNER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 18, 1907.

922,527, PatentedMay 25,1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFTCE.

SAMUEL J. SHAW, JR, AND PETER G. YOST, OF RIDGEFIELD PARK, NEW JERSEY.

MUSIC-SHEET TURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 18, 1907.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Serial No. 374,434.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL J. Straw, J1'., and PETER G. Yos'r, citizens of the United States, and residents of Ridgetield Park, in the county of Ber en and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Sheet Turners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to music-sheet turners, and its main object is to provide a device of this type by means of which music-sheets may be quickly and easily turned to avoid interruptions in passages of music in changing from one sheet to another.

One of the main features of the invention is an actuator driven by a motor, preferably a spring motor, in such a manner as to have a quick action for turning a sheet whenever the power of the motor is applied to it, and this actuator cooperates with a sheet-holder or series of sheet-holders in such a manner that the sheet-holders are successively and quickly turned from one position to an other to bring into view music of successive sheets.

Another important object of our invention is to provide means for returning to a sheet that has been passed, for the purpose of repeating music that has once been played, and in order to accomplish this result we provide in connection with a device used by us for turning music-sheets in the regular manner additional means cooperative therewith for reversing the action of the sheetturning mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will appear in the following description and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation, broken both horizontally and vertically, illustrating a music-sheet turner embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the upper portion of the same, illustrating particularly the sheetholders and the actuator and the manner in which they cooperate. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan ofthe lower portion of the apparatus, illustrating the motor for operating the actuator and means for releasing the actuator and reversing the movement thereof. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the spring motor for imparting quick movements to the actuator. Figs. 5 and (3 are enlarged details of the clutch hereinafter described, showing the same in central cross-section and in longitudinal section. Figs. 7 and 8 are details illustrating the fixed and movable clips for holding the sheets of music. Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the lug 15 and the parts thereon. Fig. 10 is a detail view of one of the upper feet.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In carrying our invention into effect we may make use of any suitable stand or frame for sheet-music and the devices for turning the sheets. This frame may be of the type illustrated, having parallel side-bars 2, an upper horizontal connecting-bar 3, and a lower connecting-bar and shelf 4, all of which parts may be strips of metal or other material plated or ornamented in any desired manner to present a good appearance. In suitable bearings, such as 5 and 6, se cured to the horizontal frame members 3 and a the vertical shaft- 7 may be journaled for rotation. This shaft in our preferred construction constitutes the principal means for transmitting power from a motor to an actuator for turning one or more sheet-holders to bring successive sheets of music into position for the music to be played. The motor employed may be of any suitable type, but we prefer to make use of a small but suiticiently strong spring motor of any suitable type, the power of which may be let off quickly for the purpose of driving the shaft, and which need not be wound up frequently. Such a motor is illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and t, and is designated generally by 8. As illustrated, it embodies a casing 9, a large spurgear 10 for transmitting the power of the spring to the parts to be operated, and suitable parts for winding the spring. In the construction shown the lower main member of the frame of the music-sheet turner has a pair of depending arms 11 and 12 having at their lower ends a rigidly-connected crossbar 13. The spring motor 8 has an arbor or spindle 1 1 which at its opposite ends is journaled in the end of the casing 9 and in a lug 1'3 secured to the lower cross-bar 13.

The spring of the motor 8 is indicated at 16. One end of it is secured in the usual way to the casing 9 and the other end to the spindle 14- which has secured thereto two ratchet-wheels 17 and 18 with which coact spring-pressed pawls 19 and 20. Loose on the spindle 1a is a rotary member 21 one end of which constitutes a spur-pinion of considerable size and the other end of which supports the springpressed ratchet 19.

When the pinion 22 is turned by any means in a direction for winding up the spring the movement will be communicated to the ratchet-wheel 17 by the winding-pawl 19 in a manner well understood.

The power of the spring 16 may be trans mitted in any suitable manner from the motor to the actuator. In this construction the large spur-gear 1O meshes with the large spur-pinion 23 loose on the shaft 7 and connected with the bevel gear 24 normally coupled to the shaft 7 by means of a coupling device 25, thereby assuring the rotation of the shaft 7 in the same direction as the pinion and bevel gear 23 and 24. The means f or reversing this movement will be hereafter described.

Between the spur pinion 23 and the lower main member 4 of the frame a rotary dog 26 is placed. This dog cooperates with another dog 27 at the end of an escapement lever 28 pivoted on an arm 29 of the frame. This lever 23 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of a spring 30, and is releasable from the dog 26 by the action of the operator for the purpose of permitting movement of said dog.

At the upper end of the device the movement of the main powertransmitting mem her or shaft 7 is imparted to suitable means for effecting the operation of one or more sheet-holders each adapted to carry a n1usic sheet. lVe prefer to make use of a plurality of these sheet-holders in order that a series of music-sheets may be turned quickly one after the other when it becomes necessary to turn the music to a new sheet. In the construction illustrated six such sheet-holders are shown as loosely mounted on a short shaft adjacent to the upper end of the shaft 7 in a bearing at the opposite side of the cross-piece 3 from the bearing Each sheet-holder in the preferred construction consists of a stiff strip of sheet material such as 31, having at its pivot end a quarter twist which serves the double purpose of reducing the amount of space occupied by the six sheet-holders and also of stiffening each sheet-holder. Each sheetholder preferably carries two clips for sheet-music, one of the clips being illustrated at 32 and consisting of a pair of arms which may be rigid with the sheet-holder 31, while the other clip is movable or adjustable along the sheetholder for the purpose of engaging musicsheets of different widths and consists of a similar pair of arms projecting from a slide. This movable clip is designated generally by One arm of each clip, whether fixed or movable, is usually made as a separate piece and brazed to the other piece of the clip. Each sheet-holder also embodies an element, preferably in the form of a projection, such for example as the projection 34 from the upper side of the sheet-holder 31, for engagement by the actuator proper employed to turn the sheet-holders and the music-sheets carried thereby. The actuator proper is here shown as a strong pin 35 projecting downwardly from the under side of a slide 36 mounted to move with and relatively to a plate, such as 37, secured to the upper end of the same short shaft on which the sheetholders 31 are loosely supported for rotation.

This shaft is designated by 38 and is journaled at its lower end in a bearing 39 similar to that shown at 5. At its upper end this short shaft is threaded and a nut and washer are employed to hold the plate 37 in a fixed position on said short shaft. Below said plate and below the slide 36 said shaft has secured thereto a spur-gear 40 which meshes with a similar spur-gear 41 atthe upper end of the shaft 7. \Vhenever the shaft 7 is released and the power of the spring 16 applied thereto the gear 40 is turned by the gear 41 and the plate 37 turns a sheet-holder and the leaf held thereby and makes a complete rotation about the axis of the short shaft 38. A corresponding orbital movement of the actuator proper 35 results from this rotation of the plate 37. At the beginning of operations the pin 35 is in the path of the projection 34 on the first sheet-holder of the series and strikes said projection and quickly turns the first sheet-holder to the position shown in Fig. 1. In order that it may cooperate properly with the other sheet-holders, however, it is necessary that this actuator proper or pin 35 have an additional movement so that it may move in arcs of different radii, and it is also necessary that the projections on the sheet-holders be located in different positions, that is, at different distances from the axis of the short shaft 38.

In the construction shown there are six sheet-holders, and the projections therefrom are located in six different positions, as will be clear by reference to these projections,

which are indicated respectively by 34, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46. Similarly the sheetholders themselves are designated respectively 31, 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51. These projections on the sheet-holders are separated 1115 holder 31 and its projection 34 to the position shown in Fig. 1 the actuator proper 35 should then be shifted out of the path of the projection 34 and into the path of the next projection 42. In order to accomplish this we prefer to mount the actuator proper on a slide such as 36 and to provide means for moving this slide outward from the axis of the short shaft 38 one step after each operation of turning a sheet-holder. In order to accomplish this result the slide 36 is here shown as having a toothed rack at one edge thereof with spur-teeth, designated by 52, which cooperate with teeth of a smallpinion 53 mounted on the plate 37 near one edge thereof and in constant mesh with the teeth 52. The teeth of this pinion 53 are of such length that their path of movement passes through a cooperative fixed tooth 5st secured to the upper edge of the crossbar At each rotation of the plate 37 and the actuator proper this pinion moves in an orbit into engagement with the fixed tooth which serves as a resistance actuator and turns the pinion 53 one step. This movement of the pinion is imparted to the spur-teeth 52 of the cooperating rack at the edge of the slide 36, and said slide is moved outward one step, thus carrying the actuator proper into position to swing on the next rotation of the plate 37 into the path of the second projection t2, which is on the second sheet-holder 47 of the series. By successive operations this slide is moved out one step at a time to bring the actuator 35 successively into the paths of the six projections 3e, 42, 43, L4, and 45. The slide is guided in its movements back and forth on the plate 37 in any suitable manner. It may also be shifted by hand when required to any desired position, an npwardly-extending thumb-piece the sham: of which works in a slide 56 in the plate 37 serving the double function of providing a handle for shifting the slide back and forth and of guiding said slide at one end of its movements. hen all six sheetholders have been turned by the device the slide should be drawn in to its original position by a pull on the thumb-piece 55. At the edge of the slide 36 opposite the rackteeth 52 the slide is notched as shown at 57 with ratchetteeth for engaging the end of a stop-pawl 58 on the under side of the plate 37, which stop-pawl serves to locate the slide positively in each of its six positions and prevent underor over-movement of the same.

Our invention, though applicable to all uses of sheet-music, is especially adapted for pianos and organs. The frame of the instrument, as shown, has legs 59 depending therefrom which are finished by pads or cushions 60 of rubber or other suitable material. These are intended to rest on the polished woodwork of a piano. At its up per end the frame may have legs and feet similar to those shown at 59 and 60 for supporting it against an upright part of the piano or organ. The feet of these supports are indicated at 61.

For the purpose of releasing the spring 16 and permitting it to operate instantly upon the mechanism before described for turning the sheetholders successively we prefer to employ a key located immediately over the keys of the instrument, though other means for releasing the spring may he used. The key for this purpose, which is similar to the keys of a typewriting machine, is shown at (32. By means of a connecting-rod (33 it is connected with a slide (3'1 mounted in this instance vertically on the frame of the apparatus near the bottom thereof, and slotted and guided on said frame in a manner well understood. This slide has a projection which normally rests on the upper edge of the escapement-lever 28. \l'hen the key (32 is depressed the projection 65 oscillates said lever and releases the dog 27 thereof from the dog 26 on the shaft 7, whereupon said shaft is instantly turned by the spring 16. In the normal comlition of the parts this shaftwill turn in the direction to perform the principal operation hereinbefore described, that is to say, the turning of the first sheet-holder to the position illustrated in Fig. 1. On the release of this key it is restored to its normal position by means of a spring 66, and the lever 28 is at the same time returned to its normal position by the spring 30 to bring its dog 27 back again into the path of the cooperating dog 26. The slide 6% is here shown as also having a projecting arm (57 for the purpose of operating a shifting-lever 6S pivoted on a depending arm (39 of the framework and controlling the movements of a coupling device for determining the direction in which the shaft 7 shall be turned when the dogs are released from engagement with each other. Normally this shifting-lever is in the position shown in Fig. l, with the upper bevel-gear 24 hereinbefore described of a train of bevel gears, coupled to the shaft 7.

hen it desired to reverse the direction of turn of the sheet-holders, that is to say, when it is desired to turn back a sheet-holder, as for example, for repeating the music previously played. this may be accomplished by reversing the driving connections between the motor and the shaft 7 and releasing the dogs 26 and 27 from engagement. F or the purpose of accomplishing these results we make use of the mechanism illustrated, although various means may be employed for the purpose.

TO, 71 and T2 designate a key, a connectingrod and slide similar to those shown at ($2, (33 and 64-. The slide 72 is also guided in the same manner as the slide 6st and has a similar spring 73 for returning it to its normal position. It also has at its inner edge a projection T-l normally engaging the upper edge of the escapemeut-lever 28 for operating the same when the key is depressed, this operation being exactly the same as that before described when the key 2 is depressed. The slide 7 2, however. is provided with means, such as a pin 75, for operating a shortlever 76 suitably pivoted on the framework,

the free end of which lies under one end of the shifting-lever 68. hen the key is depressed the shifting-lever 68 is also operated, but is turned in a reverse direction to that in which it is turned by the projection 67 on the slide (it. When so operated by the key 70 a coupling device 25 controlled by the shifting-lever 68 is shifted from its upper position where it is normally in engagement with the upper bevel gear 24:, to its lower position into engagement with the lowermost bevel gear 78 of the train of bevel gears before mentioned. The intermediate gear of this train is designated by 7 9. This movement of the shifting-lever serves to reverse the driving connection between the motor and the shaft 7 and to cause the rotation of the shaft 7 and all its cooperative parts in the opposite direction, thereby effecting the turning back of the sheet-holders and the sheets carried thereby whenever it is desired to do so.

The two keys 62 and 70, it will be noticed, are placed close together in a convenient position for operation, and by a slight movement either of them can be depressed to release the spring and thereby effect the quick turning of a sheet-holder in either direction desired.

Any suitable means may be-employed for winding the spring 16 whenever it is desired to do so. The means shown herein is a sliding rack coacting with the large pinion 22 mounted loosely on the spindle 14. of the spring motor. This rack is mounted on the lowermost member 13 of the framework and is guided thereon by suitable pin-and-slot connections in the well known manner. Two such slots are indicated in Fig. 3 at 80 and 81. lVhen the teeth of this rack, which is designated generally by 82, are normally out of engagement with the teeth of the spur-pinion 22 as shown in these views one or both of the slots 80 and 81 be curved at one end, as shown, in order that when the rack 82 is moved endwise it may be shifted at once into engagement with the teeth of the spur-pinion 22 and thus operate to turn said pinion and wind the spring. For the purpose of quickly effecting the re-winding of the spring a rigid projecting thumbpiece 83 extends in this construction from the edge of the lowermost cross-bar 13, and a similar t-hun'ib-piece 8% extends from the edge of the rack 82. When the two are engaged by the thumb and the forefinger, for example, the rack may be quickly forced to the right to turn the pinion and wind the spring. A strong spring, such as 85, may be employed to return the rack to its normal position after the spring 16 has been wound, this spring 85 serving to return the rack to said normal position as soon as the thuml'i-piece St is released.

lVhat we claim is:

1. A musicsheet turner, comprising a sheet-holder mounted to turn about an axis, a pivoted actuator associated with said sheet-holder for turning the same, a motor for imparting a quick turning movement to said actuator, connections between the motor and the actuator for changing the radius of throw of the latter, means for holding the motor inoperative and means under the control of an operator for releasing said holding means to permit operation of said motor.

A music sheet turner, comprising a sheet-holder mounted to turn about an axis, a pivoted actuator associated with said sheet -holder for turning the same and mounted to turn about the same axis as said sheet-holder, a motor for imparting a quick turning movement to said actuator, connections between the motor and the actuator for changing the radius of throw of the latter, means for holding the motor inoperative and means under the control of an operator for releasing said holding means to permit operation of said motor.

3. A music sheet turner, comprising a sheet-holder mounted to turn about an axis, .1

a pivoted actuator associated with said sheet -holder for turning the same and mounted to turn about the same axis as said sheet-holder, a motor for imparting a quick turning movement to said actuator, connections between the motor and the actuator for changing the radius of throw of the latter, means for holding the motor inoperative, means under the control of an operator for releasing said holding means to permit operation of said motor, and means for limiting the turning movement of said actuator.

a. A music sheet turner, comprising a plurality of sheet-holders separately oscillatory about a common axis, a pivoted actuator associated with said sheet-holders and cooperative therewith for turning them successively, a motor for imparting a quick turning movement to said actuator, connections between the motor and the actuator for changing the radius of throw of the latter, means for holding the motor inoperative, means under the control of anoperator for releasing said holding means to permit successive operations of said motor, and means for limiting successive rotary movements of said actuator.

A music sheet turner, comprising a plurality of sheet-holders separately oscillatory about a common axis, a pivoted actuator associated with said sheet-holders and mounted to turn about the same axis as said sheet -holders and cooperative with said sheet-holders for turning them successively, a motor for imparting a quick turning move ment to said actuator, connections between the motor and the actuator for changing the radius of throw of the latter, means for holding the motor inope ative, means under the control of an operator for releasing said holding means to permit successive operations of said motor, and means for limiting successive rotary movements of said actuator.

(i. A musicsheet turner, comprising a plurality of sheet-holders separately oscillatory about a common axis and each having a projection located at a diiferent distance from said axis, a pivoted actuator associated with said sheet-holders for cooperation with said projections successively, a motor for imparting a quick turning movement to said actuator, connections between the motor and the actuator for changing the radius of throw of the latter at each operation and shifting itinto position to cooperate with said projections successively, means for holding the motor inoperative, means under the control of an operator for releasing said holding means to permit successive operations of said motor, and means for limiting successive movements of said actuator.

7. A music-sheet turner, comprising a pluiality of sheetholders separately oscillatory about a common axis and each having a projection located at a ditterent distance from said axis, a pivoted actuator mounted to turn about the same axis as said sheet-holders, a motor for imparting a quick turning move ment to said actuator, means controlled by said motor for bringing said actuator into operative relation with said projections successively as successive sheet-holders are operated, means for holding the motor inoperative, means under the control of an operator for releasing said holding means to permit successive operations of said motor, and means for limiting successive movements of said actuator.

S. A music-sheet turner, comprising a plurality of sheet-holders separately oscillatory about a common axis and each having a projection located at a different distance from said axis, a pivoted actuator mounted to turn about the same axis as said sheet-holders and also movable to positions at different distances from said axis, a motor for imparting a quick turning movement to said actuator, means controlled by the motor for shifting said actuator to said different positions successively, means for holding the motor inoperative, means under the control of an operator for releasing said holding means to permit successive operations of said motor, and means for limiting successive movements of said actuator.

9. A music-sheet turner, comprising a plurality of separately-movable sheet-holders oscillatory about a common axis and lying in close contact with one another and each embodying a sheet-metal strip having at its pivot a quarter twist, a pivoted actuator associated with said sheet-holders for cooperation therewith successively, a motor for imparting a quick turning movement to said actuator, connections between the motor and the actuator for shifting the latter into position to cooperate with said sheet-holders successively, means for holding the motor inoperative, means under the control of an operator for releasing said holding means to permit successive operations of said motor, and means for limiting successive movements of said actuator.

10. A musicsheet turner, comprising a plurality of separately-movable sheet-holders each having a pair of clips one clip of each pair being adjustable along its holder, a pivoted actuator associated with said sheetholders for cooperation therewith successively, a motor for imparting a quick turn ing movement to said actuator, connections between the motor and the actuator for shitting the latter into position to cooperate with said sheet-holders successively, means for holding the motor inoperative, means under the control of an operator for releasing said holding means to permit successive operations of said motor, and means for limiting successive movements of said actuator.

11. A music sheet turner, comprising a movable sheet-holder, an actuator having an orbital movement in a circuit about a point outside the actuator and associated with said sheet-holder for engaging and moving the same, means under the control of an operator for governing the movement of said actuator in one direction, means also under the control of an operator for governing the movement of said actuator to move said sheetholder back to its original position, and a motor cooperative with said means for effecting said movements.

12. A music-sheet turner, comprising a plurality of sheet-holders separately oscillatory about a common axis, a pivoted actuator having an orbital movement in a circuit outside its proof and associated with said sheetholders and cooperative therewith successively for engaging the sheet-holders and turning each of them in one direction, means under the control of an operator for governing the movement of said actuator in one direction, means also under the control of an operator for governing the movement of said actuator to move each of said sheet-holders in the opposite direction, and a motor cooperative with said means for effecting said movements.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this (3th day of May, A. D. 1907.

SAMUEL J. SHAXV, JR. PETER G. YOST.

Witnesses EDGAR A. FELLows, ROBERT CHAMPION. 

